


Hotel Happenings

by Beeblebrox-For-President (unfortunately7)



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anything after that is ignored, Awkwardness, Blood, Hotels, Human?Reader, Multi, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Reader Is Adopted, Smut in later parts, and nobody can change my mind, seriously a lot of awkward, they're all a big happy family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:28:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23870866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unfortunately7/pseuds/Beeblebrox-For-President
Summary: Sometimes things happen that can turn our worlds on their heads. Sometimes these happenings can come in the form of Avengers showing up in the lobby of your small hotel. Sometimes we aren't who we think we are.And sometimes that's okay.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 18
Kudos: 94





	1. Business as usual. Or not.

**Author's Note:**

> So I WAS going to wait to post this until it was all the way finished but then I got really excited and so here we are. Also, as with all my works, this wasn't beta'd so it's probably riddled with spelling and grammar errors despite my proof-reading.

The wind whisked over the small motel nestled just on the edge of town. Small spits of rain stuttered out of patchy clouds, indecisive as to where it should end its journey. Another journey was ending that night, and a new one would begin shortly after…

……………………

The package on the doorstep was small, placed just out of the light spring rain in the shelter of the curved trellis, covered in perfumed wisteria, that arched over the door. A small whine came from the mass, a thin cry that hardly permeated the howling wind. The cry grew louder after a moment, turning from a whine to a wail. It was enough to alert the house’s aging occupant.

“Abbey, look what we have here…” The woman spoke softly, a small bundle of rags nestled against her bosom as she pushed the door closed against the wind. She sat down in the old rocking chair- nearly knocking over the knitting she had been slaving over- turning on the pull-chain lamp beside on the table. A soft glow illuminated her wizened face, as well as the soft, new face swaddled within the bundle. The cries subsided as the old woman gently rocked, soothing the babe.

“Someone has left us a present, Abbey,” she cooed. A sleek tabby cat placed its front paws on her knees, stretching up to smell the wiggling mass of rags. A gentle purr emanated from its chest as it clamored up beside the woman, watching the small, squirming babe. “A little present on our doorstep… what do you think, Abbey?”

The cat, after several moments of perceived deliberation, gave a small mew. It may have had something to do with the tiny hand that emerged from the cloth and batted the feline’s nose, but the elderly woman saw it as an answer. “Yes, Abbey, I agree. It is rude to return a gift.” She stroked one hand over the sparse hair of the newborn’s head. 

She gingerly pushed back the wrappings, exposing the tiny, shivering lass. “Such a small little one…” she cooed as she rubbed warmth back into the infant’s hands and feet. “Too small for an Other, so I’d say you’re a teeny tiny human, hmm?” The baby responded with a weak cry. “Ah,” she said with a gentle smile, “lets see if we have any milk in the icebox..”

..…………A couple handfuls of years later………….

“Thank you for staying! Come again soon,” the woman called as she waved to the businessman strolling out the door. He waved briefly, not the type to make a comment. Always on the go, always on the move. It made her sad to know there were people out there who couldn’t stop to enjoy the small things like a warm bed and home-cooked food. It satisfied her, though, knowing she could provide that for at least one or two nights.

A newlywed couple emerged from the hall, their suitcase rattling behind them. Both wore broad smiles as they trailed over the worn carpet towards the small front desk, settling their baggage as they paid for the stay. The woman behind it met their cheerful grins eagerly. She loved to see happiness, especially so early in the morning.

“Here’s the key, miss,” the shorter man said, placing the key with its jaunty frilled keychain on the desk. “Lovely room, thank you so much. The view of the town was incredible. Who knew such a little place would have such fantastic scenery! Almost pains us to leave.”

“No problem, hun,” the woman exclaimed as she hung the key back up on the wall behind her, ready for whoever would occupy the room next after housekeeping cleaned it up. “I’m so glad you enjoyed your stay. It’s always a treat to have newlyweds here. As you can imagine, not many people decide to spend part of their honeymoon in such a small, out-of-the-way town. Where’d you say your going next?”

The taller man answer, hand resting on his husband’s, caressing his knuckles gently. “Grand Rapids is the plan, but, well, who knows? Maybe we’ll find another charming little place to stay in along the way.” He glanced at his husband, smiling. It warmed the woman’s heart to see two people so enamored with each other. 

“Best of wishes to you both, then!” she replied with a smile. The couple gathered their bags once more, checking them over. They departed with another round of gratuitous words.

“Y’know,” the shorter man said as they walked out the door, the woman barely overhearing, “It’s so nice to find a place that’s so inviting. So homey.” His husband nodded in agreement as they slipped into their car and drove away, onto their next adventure with each other.

The woman smiled as she turned back to her work. It made her day to hear comments like that. It was really why she kept the place going. If anything, it’d be easier to sell and find a small house and get a job at the local grocer’s or something like that, but this place was special. It felt like home to her, too, because it was her home. She supposed it always would be.

“Kiddo?” an aging voice creaked, interrupting her train of thought. The woman jumped up and walked quickly to the office, pushing open the door. It creaked, reminding her that it needed oiling later, just as the front doors did. And every other door in the ancient building. Oh, it was a labor to keep up with the place, but it was a labor of love.

“Yeah, Mama Ro? What’d you need?” She slid in the door gap, nudging a stack of boxed papers gently aside with her hip. The elderly woman seated in the rocker beside the window turned her face up towards her, smiling. Her eyes were milky and sightless now, but the woman swore they could still see right through her. Mama Ro was a sharp lady, even in her advanced age.

“Nothin’, sugar. Just a glass a water, if ya’ don’t mind.” Her voice was scratchy, as most voices become when they’ve been in use for nearly 97 years. It carried a tone of mischief that would startle anyone not familiar to her. Most would be surprised to find such spirit contained in such a worn vessel. Worn, but beautiful and wise. “Wanted ta’ ask if that cute pair ‘a kids enjoyed their stay. They seemed s’ sweet.”

The woman smiled and grabbed a paper cup, filling it from the water dispenser just outside the room. She returned and handed it to Ro, making sure the elder’s arthritic hands had a good grasp before pulling away. “They said the room was lovely. Mentioned the view too, just like you thought they’d enjoy. I swear, Mama Ro, I don’t know how you do it. It’s like you can read their minds!” 

The elder woman chuckled. The wrinkles around her eyes were accentuated, years of smiling etched into her soft, dark skin. A smile bloomed on her face, nearly a mischievous grin. Scratch that, the woman thought, it was mischievous. Indeed, it was mischievous as always.

“Baby, it’s called 96 an’ a half years of experience. You don’t stick around as long as I hav’ without pickin up a few people-readin skills.” She laughed again, water sloshing out of the cup in her hand. “You’ll get there someday, I know it.” She nodded with a certainty that defied the rules of probability themself. Ro was a sharp lady.

The woman smiled, kissing Ro’s cheek. The old woman patted the younger woman’s hand as she pulled away. “Better go check the desk, young’un,” she instructed with a poke to the woman’s side.

The woman raised her eyebrows. “Oh? I didn’t hear anything…” It amazed her how acute Ro’s senses were sometimes. “I’ll check on you in a little while, alright Mama,” she said as she neared the door, looking back at the elderly lady. Both their expressions were nothing short of affectionate. She waved her gnarled hand.

“Shoo, baby, before the customers leave.” Her voice was jovial as ever. The woman smiled and ducked out the door with a quick yes ma’am. She made sure it was partially open, so she could hear if Ro called, before turning back to the lobby. She was shocked to see a large group of people crowded into the relatively small room, talking amongst themselves and examining the front desk curiously.

Hurriedly she returned to the desk, rushing to put things in order without further regard towards the nature of the guests. “Sorry about the wait,” she said quickly a she searched for the sign-in book. She finally found it, placing it open on the desk. She looked up to address the crowd again. “If you all could ple-”  
Her voice died in her throat as she blinked rapidly. Now that was definitely something you would expect in a small town. She swallowed, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. “U-uh, sorry. Just, please, um, sign in here.” She fumbled for a pen, placing it on the book. “I-if you’d group your names to show who’s rooming with who, I m-ean IF any of you are rooming together- We have plenty of sp-pace if not-”

The man at the front of the group chuckled. “Alright, Miss, will do.” He grabbed the pen and book, turning to his companions and allowing the woman a moment to process what exactly was happening. Her heart raced as her mind raced at equal speed.

The Avengers. In her lobby.

Definitely not something you’d expect in a small town.

…………………………

Tony Stark handed the woman the sign-in book. Tony Freaking Stark. She swore she was going to pass out. Who knows, maybe one of them would give her mouth-to-mouth. She almost passed out at the thought. She sat the book down and gathered up the room keys, sighing in relief when one remained, meaning she wouldn’t have to rush to clean the last room in a frantic mess in front of the motherfucking Avengers.

“Right this way,” she said, leading into the hallway that wrapped through the building. “Luckily, there aren’t any other boarders at the moment, so you’ll have the place to yourselves.” Each person filtered into the rooms with a smile and a thank you, all seeming eager for a rest. From the look of it, she’d guess they had been on some sort of long mission. “Dinner is at 7, just across the hall from the front if anyone would like to eat then. If not, there’s a couple small restaurants in town that are very nice.”

She took a deep breath as the last door shut, relieved to be out from under the scrutiny of the famous (or infamous, to some) group of people. It was an honor to have them want to stay there of all places, but it increased her workload by a lot. Heck, she didn’t even know how long they’d be staying. She forced herself to breath as she headed back towards the front. Might as well get a start on dinner now, she thought as she returned to the desk to make sure everything was in order, heaven forbid she be caught late in front of-

The bell above the door rang, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. Two more men walked in, and the woman thought she’d absolutely die. It was THE Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. She swallowed thickly. She had thought the group had looked a bit small, and no wonder. It had been missing the two beefiest (Earth) people in the Avengers, the super-soldiers.

“We lagged a bit behind the others,” Steve said as he strode to the desk, “got a little caught up in the scenery.” He leaned down to sign in, flashing the woman a s mile that God would envy. She thought her heart was going to jump out of her chest as she tried to process what had happened in the past ten minutes. “Buck and I will room together, if that’s alright.”

“O-of course,” she stammered, nodding. She stepped back and grabbed the last key, frowning slightly as she realized she’d have to clean up the last room quickly as possible. “Oh, um. I-I’ll need to clean this room,” she said apologetically, ducking her head. “The couple using it left just before y-you all arrived. I’m so sorry about this, really I-”

Steve chuckled, patting her shoulder casually with a -massive- hand. “Don’t worry about it. We can always spend a little time in town while you clean. Or we could help, if that’s alright? I don’t want you to feel rushed.” His face was almost sheepish, his expression making her heart leap in her chest. With a wince she realized she had been staring. He seemed to realize he hadn’t taken his hand of her shoulder at the same time and pulled away, cheeks flushed an almost unnoticeable shade of pink.

Face blazing, she shook her head. “No, no, no don’t worry about that, it’s no trouble at all-” She paused, noticing the bags Bucky was carrying. “O-oh! Can I help you with those, they look heavy,” the super-soldier detail momentarily escaping the woman’s mind as she stammered.

Bucky smiled, something that was rare in and of itself. He never smiled in the news footage they showed. Her heart skipped a beat. It was every bit as beautiful as Steve’s, and oh lord if it wouldn’t be the death of her. “It’s alright, ma’am,” he chuckled. “Could we stop by the room to drop off our things before we head out?”

She nodded, twisting the key between her fingers as she turned towards the hall. “Of course. Right this way.” The two followed closely down the hallway. Steve examined the doors as they passed by, taking note of all of the features.

“This place looks pretty old, huh?” he asked casually as they reached the last room, “But well-kept too.” She opened the door and let them into their room, nodding. She hung the key on a hook by the door.

“Yes. Built in the late 1800’s. It’s been in Ro, the owner’s, family since then.” She headed into the room behind him, already busying herself with tidying the small space. She began to pull the sheets off the bed as Steve and Bucky placed their bags in the wardrobe.

“You aren’t the owner?” Bucky asked casually as he shut the door, watching her with a surprised look.

“Huh? Oh, no,” she chuckled. “I don’t own this place. Maybe someday, but for now I just work for the owner. Have since I was little.” She bunched up the sheets and placed them in the hallway to take to the wash later. Retrieving fresh ones from the room’s linen closet, she continued to work.

“So your family works for the owner’s family?” Steve inquired, walking over to help lift the corner of the mattress so she could tuck the lower sheet beneath properly. She made a mental note to look into bulk ordering some fitted sheets as she thanked him softly.

“No, I guess you could say I am family, sort-of. Ro raised me after I kinda just… showed up on her doorstep one day,” she explained as she turned back the sheets, spreading the quilt and fluffing the pillows just so. They had to be perfect, it was very important they were perfect. For what reason, she didn’t really know. “Ro is a saint, really.”

“Showed up?” Bucky said, confused. He didn’t want to pry but curiosity understandably got the best of him. Steve shot him a look. he grinned sheepishly back. The woman walked to the bathroom, kneeling down to retrieve cleaning supplies from beneath the sink.

“Yes, though not really of my own volition. Dropped of here as a newborn.” She wondered briefly if they’d find that odd, then wondered why she had even mentioned it. She usually kept that part of her life quiet. Small towns tend to be rumor pools, and she didn’t want the hotel to suffer just because some odd circumstances spawned weird gossip.

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Oh, well, that’s a shame. I mean, not a shame, you seem happy here, I uh-” He stumbled over his words, Bucky choking back a laugh behind him. Even after all these years, Steve still didn’t know how to talk to women.

Bucky patted Steve on the back, grabbing the hem of his shirt and tugging him towards the door. “Don’t worry miss, I’ll get him out of your hair,” he chuckled, playfully shoving Steve out into the hall. She peeked out of the bathroom, cleaning rag in one hand.

“Alright, I should be done within an hour. Again, I’m really sorry about the wait.” Her apologetic ways were endearing. Something about her made Bucky’s chest feel oddly warm. From the look on Steve’s face, he felt it too.

“Don’t worry about that, ma’am,” he said as he stepped out of the room. “By the way,” he found himself blurting on a whim, “what’s your designation. I know that’s a bit of an odd thing to ask, but it’s hard to tell, a little. Maybe it’s just the cleaning supplies or something.”

She paused her work, confused. “I-I don’t have one,” she called back, brow furrowed. “I’m a human. Maybe you’re smell, er, scenting previous tenants?”

Bucky and Steve exchanged a confused glance. “Alright, sorry to bother. We’ll get going then, and thank you for the room,” Steve rushed awkwardly, shutting the door before things could get more embarrassing. Something was off here.

They walked back down the hall silently, thinking. Steve opened the front door for Bucky, musing. 

“You don’t really believe that, do you?” the brunette said, looking at Steve as they walked down the wooded trail that led to the town. “I don’t mean to imply she’s lying, but there’s no way that girl is human. I saw the way you reacted to her, and I sure as hell know how I reacted.”

Steve frowned, thinking. He nodded slowly. “Reacted… you mean you felt that too? Do you think she’s an Omega? Or at least a Beta?”

Bucky shrugged. “One of those. Definitely not an Alpha. Her scent is so faint though.” He went quiet for another few moments before speaking once more. “And I know for a fact that Natasha and Bruce are the only other Designates that have been in there in a long time, hell, even in the whole town. We were smelling her, not someone else. It had to be her.”


	2. Turn up the Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hooooooooooo boy extensive plot chapter. I swear, we’ll get to good stuff soon. Probably. Hopefully. Idk tbh. I start writing and then they kinda take on a life of their own and then we end up with a multi-part fic instea dof the originally intended oneshot.

Long ago, as the primordial oceans churned and raged, a species that would later rise to dominion over the primitive planet was in the early stages of formation. It was in these barest of centuries when a great divergence took place among the genetic makeup of the creatures. A rift caused by the shifting of the planet’s crust formed, cleaving the small but steadily growing population in two.

It is in this way that one species may become two separate species, though still inextricably intertwined by common ancestors. And thus, the world beget the Humans and the Designates.

It is possible that the change would have occurred even without the rift, though it would have happened at a much slower rate. As it was, the two species, while alike in almost all ways, were unable to breed when they once more found each other.

Humans, despite lacking the prolificacy of Designates, swarmed the Earth quickly. To do so, they pushed the Designates nearly to the brink of extinction. Even today, Designates make up the minority of the Earth’s sentient inhabitants. A deep rift, this time not literal, formed between the two over the millennia that spanned the development of the modern world.

The separation of species, however, was not complete. Despite being unable to interbreed, which would have led to the eventual “out-breeding” of the Designate traits, it was apparent that one species could, through circumstances not yet understood by modern-day science, bare members of the other. It was possible for a pairing of two Humans to bring forth a Designate child and vice versa, though the anomaly remains incredibly rare.

It is possible that it wasn’t as rare as it seems. Taboo as it is to most civilized creatures, the destruction or abandonment of undesired offspring is not unheard of in the natural world. Take the instance of an albino rabbit born into a litter of normally coloured siblings. It is normal for the mother to shun the out-of-place offspring, resulting in its untimely demise. With the deep hatred between the two species it is not unfathomable that a Human or a Designate may allow offspring born of their counterpart species to die, leading to a skewed statistical error of reported counter-births.

While hatred wanes, some remain that still hold deep, unfounded malice towards the other species, as it was that led to the abandonment of our dear main character…

……………………………

“C’mon, c’mon. It’ll be okay… just a little further and then we can- can-” the man’s words stuttered to a stop with a distressed whine. His Alpha tugged at his hand, urging him to allow her to sit and rest. One of her hands clutched her swollen belly tightly, her face twisted in agony.

“No, ‘Mega. I need to sit. F-uck.” Her words were tight, pained. A gust of wind brushed her hair away from her face as she slid to the ground, letting go of her distressed Omega’s hand. She leaned against a tree as he crouched down beside her. He gave a small whine, fear shining in his wide eyes. 

The moon, covered with piebald clouds, provided very little light in the forest. He couldn’t see the red, but he could smell the blood. His frantic whines grew louder. His panting Alpha reached up and stroked her hand over his cheek. “Hush now, it’ll be alright. We’ll just have to- ah!” Her words cut off in a sharp cry of agony. After a moment, she regained her breath. “Y-your jacket, give me your jacket,” she sputtered, “Can’t wait any longer.”

Her Omega, despite his panic, obeyed promptly. He shrugged the ragged jacket off of his thin shoulders and with the Alpha’s guidance, spread it beneath her. Her hair clung to her forehead as she groaned, her Omega watching by helplessly.

“Alpha, we need to get to a hospital, need to get help-” he cried, hands scrambling feebly to try to assist with the birth. “There’s so much blood- oh god there’s so much blood.” Tears streamed freely down his cheeks, mingling with the rain that spat from the sky.

“Shh, shh, it’s alright,” the Alpha said weakly, taking one of his bloodied hands in her own. Her thumb stroked his skin softly as she locked her gaze on his. It pained her more than the physical pain of birth to see her beloved so distraught. “It will be alright, I promise.” Her voice was steadily growing weaker, the blood pooling around her. “Just… hold my hand. She’s almost here.”

He held her hand tightly, too afraid to look, too afraid to see how much blood was leaching from her body. She could feel the infant crowing, almost ready. She wished it had been different, wished she could watch her first pup grow up. Gripping her Omega’s hand tightly and using her last reserve of strength, she gave a final harsh push. A wail greeted her ears as she slipped into the velveteen darkness.

The Omega listen to the child wail, frozen in place. He could feel it in his bond when his Alpha’s last breath left her body. He leapt onto her, frantically trying to breathe life back into her limp form. His heart wrenched in his chest as the hopelessness of it hit him. His a loud cry he stood, turning his face away as he screamed curses towards the inky tree-tops.

A whine reminded him of the new life. Swallowing another scream, he turned to gaze upon the pup he had sired. He laughed through his grief as he realized it was indeed a girl, just as his Alpha had thought. They hadn’t been able to go to the doctor to find out for sure, too poor to pay the bills, too poor to even afford proper clothing. But they had each other.

They had each other. No more.

He leaned down, gathering his daughter in the bloodied rag of a jacket he had worn. He sobbed, eyes shut tight as the pain hit him in waves. As he stared at the infant, he realized just how tiny she was. Horror and rage slowly crept over him, and his frown grew into a sneer.

“Y-you,” he growled, “you’re human.” There was venom in his voice, centuries of hatred. Had the light been stronger, he may have seen he was mistaken. But perhaps not. The scent glands of a premature Designated infant are very difficult to locate, nor do they produce any of the scent that differentiates the two species.

He stood, holding the infant far from his body. “A human… a human killed her.” His voice rose in pitch. “A human killed my Alpha. You killed her,” he screamed. “You killed her!”

Part of him wanted to toss the infant to the ground and run, but something kept him from doing so. With an angered sob, he clutched the baby close again. He couldn’t bring himself to do it. Nor did he want to raise this pup, this human, on his own. 

It was then, as he looked up, that he happened to glimpse a small glint of light through the trees. An old woman had just happened to be awake then, unable to sleep though she did not know why. He stumbled forward, eyes fixed on the light. A window came into view, illuminating a trellis-archway above a doorstep.

The scent of wisteria hung heavily in the air as the infant cried.

……………………….

The woman brushed the hair off of her neck, wincing as sweat caused it to cling to her skin. Steam rose from the large pots on the stove and heat poured from the oven. The windows were open as wide as they could go, but it did little to ease the stifling heat of the small kitchen.

Turning on her heel, she walked over to the door, pushing it open and haphazardly fanning it back and forth in an attempt to stir up the air. After a moment she gave up, opting instead to prop it open. She really needed to get a fan or something to put in the kitchen. This old building just wasn’t very well ventilated, and the air conditioning on this side had never worked quite properly after it was installed. She never bothered to have it repaired since it still worked in the guest rooms and the second floor. There just wasn’t the money in the bank account to do it.

Content that the potatoes were far enough away from boiling over and the roast wasn’t going anywhere, she ducked out of the hot room and strolled down the short hall between the dining area, kitchen, and foyer. Ro was still in the office, her usual spot. Before she had lost her sight, she would spend hours looking out the office’s large window to observe the wildlife. It held especially fond memories, she had told the woman once, because that was the first room she ever held her in after she’d been left outside the foyer doorsteps.

The woman knocked on the door, signaling her presence so she wouldn’t startle the elderly lady. Of course, she probably had heard her coming down the hall, but it was better to be safe than sorry. “Yes?” came the reply promptly.

The woman pushed open the door and stepped inside, propping it open wide. She sat down in a comfortable chair across from Ro’s rocker, wiping at her sweat-sticky forehead. “It’s awful warm today, isn’t it?”

Ro raised her eyebrow, pursing her lips. “Not particularly, but I can imagine it mus’ be hot in that stuffy little kitchen. How’s the roast comin’ along?” Her gnarled hands rested on her lap, clasping each other lightly.

The woman smiled. “It’s in the oven as we speak. Had to get out the big one we’d saved in the freezer. Got a lot of guests today.” She paused a moment, thinking. “How’d you know we were having roast?”

Ro chuckled. “Silly girl. I can smell it. Smells real nice too. Did ye’ use rosemary?” Her face was turned towards the window, the light from it highlighting each smile-line and wrinkle that the woman loved so dearly. As time she had to spend with her adoptive guardian grew shorter, she spent more time committing each detail about her to memory.

“Yeah, fresh from the garden. I added a little thyme too, but not a whole lot.” She leaned forward and took one of Ro’s hands in her own, smiling as Ro gently squeezed her fingers. “You’ll never guess who our guests are, Mama. I was so shocked I almost passed clean out.”

Ro turned towards her, eyebrow raised. “Yeah? Who is it, baby?” Her wispy hair circled her face loosely where it had slipped out of the confines of her bun.

“You remember a few years back when that mind-controlled man invaded New York with aliens?” the woman asked, remembering the chaos that had been broadcast live on all the major news channels. Ro nodded, pursing her lips as she remembered. 

“Those were nasty lookin’ creatures,” she said, shaking her head. “Nasty, nasty, nasty.”

“Agreed,” said the woman, finding herself nodding even though her companion couldn’t see it. “Anyway, there were those people that defeated them and chased the rest of them off. The Avengers.”

Ro nodded, licking her lips. “Now you aren’t tellin’ me,” she said, “that the Avengers are staying at our hotel, are you?” The quirk of her eyebrow marked her slight disbelief.

“Yup, they are. No- I’m not kidding.” She replied, watching the surprised look on Ro’s face. “And he’s with them, Mama.”

Ro laughed loudly, rocking back in her chair for a moment. “Well I’ll be darned,” she said, chuckling excitedly. “Never in my life did I ever think I’d get to meet the Captain America himself in person, let alone havin’ him an; his whole team stay in the hotel! My, my, this world sure is a funny place.”

Ro had spent many nights tucking her into bed and telling her stories when she was young. Often times, the stories were mostly true, centered around Ro’s favorite hero from World War 2, Captain America. As the woman got older, she figured out that Ro had had a bit of a crush on him, as most women of his time probably had. It had come as a great surprise to both of them when the word got out his body had been found- alive. Ro had clapped her hands and declared that miracles really did happen.

“Dinner will be ready soon, do you want to go ahead down to the dining room?” Ro released the woman’s hand and nodded, allowing her to stand. She walked to the corner of the room and retrieved Ro’s wheelchair, bringing it over to her. She helped her stand and situate herself in the wheelchair.

As they moved past the open kitchen, the woman winced at the heat. Even being in Ro’s cooled office, she still was uncomfortably warm. Ro seemed to sense her discomfort, tilting her head with a quizzical stare as the woman situated her at the dining table.

“What’s wrong, Mama?” the woman asked as she pulled open the chest of drawers where the good silverware was kept. She and Ro wouldn’t usually use it, as most guests opted to dine out in the town, but this was a special occasion to warrant the carefully polished utensils.

Ro hummed thoughtfully. “Nothin’ baby, you just seems a little off today. You sure you ain’t feelin’ unwell?” She couldn’t see her ward, but she could hear there was something unusual just by the change in the pace of the woman’s steps. They were almost sluggish.

The woman carefully spread the tablecloth over the hard oak table, moving on to place dishes at each seat. “To be perfectly honest, I’m a bit tired I suppose. I think the heat has me down,” she admitted, smoothing the tablecloth idly as she examined herself.

Ro frowned, worried. “Baby, it’s not that hot out. C’mere,” she said, beckoning with one hand. The woman came over obediently, knowing Ro wouldn’t take no for an answer. She knelt beside the wheelchair, allowing Ro to place her hand against her forehead. It was cold, pleasantly so. She nearly found herself leaning into the touch. “Child, you are positively burning up! If it weren’t for your tone a’ voice, I’d say you had a fever.”

The woman stood. “Odd. Other than the warmth, I feel fine.” She laid out napkins and the silverware, making sure each place was properly set. Perhaps if they made a good impression on their guests, they’d recommend the place to others. Wistful thinking, honestly, but it was worth a shot.

Ro pursed her lips, her worry clearly written across her face. “If you insist, baby. Just take it easy after dinner. The dishes ‘ll wait until morning just fine.”

The woman smiled. “Alright, Mama, whatever you say.” Satisfied the table was set properly, she returned to the kitchen to finish prepping the meal.

…………………..

“Alright, Mama, ready?” the woman asked, making sure Ro was comfortably seated in the chairlift to their upstairs residency. She pressed the button, briefly pausing to make sure the chair was running properly before turning and folding up the wheelchair so she could carry it with a bit more ease up the stairs. “So,” she asked as she followed Ro up the stairs, “what’d you think of the Avengers?”

Ro gave a hearty laugh, grinning widely. “They are somethin’ else! I tell you what, I’m glad they’re stayin’ for a couple days. They’ve gotta be the liveliest bunch we’ve had here in years.”

The woman smiled as they reached the top of the stairs, unfolding the wheelchair and assisting Ro back into it. The elderly lady could walk short distances with a walker to the bathroom and such, but you both agreed it was far safer for her to use the wheelchair for most things. The woman had made it abundantly clear that she didn’t mind caring for Ro but had agreed at Ro’s stubborn insistence that should the burden ever be too much, she would take her to the local retirement home.

“I’ve got to agree with you there, Mama.” She took Ro to her room, making sure everything was in order for the night. She waited outside the door as Ro readied herself for bed. “So, what’d you think about Captain Rog-, er, Steve?” Steve had insisted on them referring to him by his first name, as did most of the others, including Bucky. He had seemed almost embarrassed to request being called James instead of ‘Mr. Barnes’, but the grin he wore hearing it was certainly a sight to behold.

Ro shuffled out of the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, slipping off her houseshoes. The woman leaned over and carefully undid her bun, setting the pins on the nightstand and grabbing a hairbrush. “He’s such a charmer,” Ro said, “just like he was back in the day. And such a sweetheart! I swear, that man doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. And his friend seems awful nice too. What was his name? James?”

The woman smiled softly as she finished combing Ro’s hair. “They are quite nice, aren’t they. I can’t believe they offered to help clean up after dinner. I guess that’s the sort of kindness people have been loosing, huh?” she sighed. 

Ro smiled and patted her hand. “Baby, sometimes kindness is all we got. I’m proud of you, did you know that? So proud.” She paused, squeezing her hand tightly. “I’m glad you showed up on my doorstep. Who knew such a tiny little thing would grow up to be such a strong lady.”

The woman smiled, eyes misting as she walked towards the bedroom door. “It’s all because of you, Mama Ro. You’ve taught me a lot. Sleep well, call for me if you need anything. Love you.” She shut the door partway and departed to her own room across the hall, opening the window wide to let in the cool night air before she baked in her own skin.

Ro settled back into her pillows. Her face was aimed towards her own window, moonlight highlighting the wise elder’s features. “I don’t know if it’s all ‘cause of me,” she murmured to herself. “Beginin’ to think it may be heritage too.” She chuckled to herself. “My baby ain’t human at all. This is one funny world.”

………………………..

Downstairs, two men were settling into bed, eagerly settling into the crisp, clean-smelling sheets that bore the faint scent of the woman, who they were now sure was an Omega, who’d placed them earlier.

“Jesus, Steve, that was a good meal. She sure can cook,” Buck said, turning over on his side to face his longtime friend and partner. It was a bit odd for two Alphas to be in a relationship, let alone one so long-term, without an Omega to accompany them, but Bucky felt sure that was going to change soon.

Steve smiled, stifling a yawn. “Absolutely. I could get used to that.” He chuckled, resting his arms behind his head, contentment washing over him. It was silent for several minutes, but then Steve spoke up again. “So, we’re gonna talk about what’s going on, right? I could tell by the look on your face soon as we walked into the dining room that you could smell her too.”

Bucky nodded. “Yeah, alright, I did. She’s definitely an Omega. So faint though, kinda strange.” The only Designates he’d ever known who’d been so faint of scent were the ones who’d been on heavy suppressants for much longer than the recommended usage period, but that couldn’t be the case with the hostess seeing as she thought she was human.

“Did it- well, no, maybe it was just my imagination- well, did it maybe smell to you like she’s going into, well, y’know…” Steve glanced over at Bucky with his eyebrows raised, reluctant to say what was on the tip of his tongue.

“Heat?” Bucky snorted at Steve’s coyness. “So strong I thought I was gonna pop a goddamn knot right in the middle of dinner. Super-soldier senses are both a blessing and a curse. Nat and Bruce had it lucky.”

Steve nodded in agreement. “I guess what I’m thinking is… what if she’s never had much contact with other Designates and that delayed… stuff? Maybe our scents or something, I don’t know, triggered her presentation.”

Bucky rolled onto his stomach, wrapping one arm around Steve’s torso as he buried his face in his pillow. “We can look into it tomorrow. For now, get some sleep punk. G’night.”

Steve smiled. “Night.”

**Author's Note:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HOPE YOU GUYS ARE LIKING IT SO FAR


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